Rotary mechanical wire grinder

ABSTRACT

A method and rotary wire grinding device are provided in which the surface of a wire product is cleaned using a pair of grinding discs with the grinding faces thereof in substantially faying relationship with each other and defining a wire grinding zone therebetween. The discs are coaxially mounted with the rotary direction of one disc opposite to the other. The wire is passed through the grinding zone with grinding pressure applied to the discs.

United States Patent [191 Orlando, Sr.

[451 Sept. 23, 1975 ROTARY MECHANICAL WIRE GRINDER lnventor: John JosephOrlando, Sr., Rivervale, NJ.

The International Nickel Company, Inc., New York, NY.

Filed: May 31, 1974 Appl. No.: 475,262

Assignee:

U.S. Cl. 51/112; 29/81 F; 51/289 R Int. Cl. B24B 1/00; 8248 5/38 Fieldof Search 5l/l1l R, 112, N6, 289 R,

51/56, 75, 80 A, 120; 29/33 F, 81 F References Cited UNITED STATESPATENTS 5/l934 Heim 5l/80 A X 8/1944 Nye 5'1/80 A Lowe ..5l/ll2XMartellotti SH] 12 Primary Examiner-Al Lawrence Smith AssistantExaminer-Nicholas P. Godici Attorney, Agent, or Firm-George N. Ziegler;Ewan C. MacQueen; Raymond J. Kenny [57] ABSTRACT A method and rotarywire grinding device are provided in which the surface of a wire productis cleaned using a pair of grinding discs with the grinding facesthereof in substantially faying relationship with each other anddefining a wire grinding zone therebetween. The discs are coaxiallymounted with the rotary direction of one disc opposite to the other. Thewire is passed through the grinding zone with grinding pressure appliedto the discs.

10 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures US Patent Sept. 23,1975 Sheet 1 0f 33,906,676

US Patent Sept. 23,1975 Sheet 2 of3 3,906,676

Fig.3

US Patent Sept. 23,1975 Shet 3 of3 3,906,676

ROTARY MECHANICAL WIRE'GRINDER This invention relates to a method and arotary wire grinding device for cleaning the surface of wire products.

Generally speaking, wire products are cleanedfollowing metallurgicaltreatment by acid pickling. However, wire pickling operations'have theirdisadvantages in that they tend to be dirty, the treatment is ratherexpensive and, moreover, not easy to work with.

It would be desirable to provide an improved wirecleaning technique inwhich the surface of a wire product can be mechanically cleaned fairlyquickly, easily and economically.

OBJECTS or THE INVENTION It is thus an object of this invention toprovide a continuous method for mechanically removing material from thesurface of a wire product.

Another object is to provide a rotary mechanical wire grinding devicefor carrying out said method.

These and other objects will more clearly appear when taken inconjunction with the following disclosure and the accompanying drawing,wherein:

FIG. 1 depicts in schematic perspective a pair of opposed rotarygrinding discs'adapted for grinding a wire product;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation of one embodiment ofa rotary wire grindingdevice provided by the invention;

FIG. 3.is a plan view of said device as seen along line 33 of FIG. 2; 1

FIG. 4 is an amplified fragment of the device showing the detail of ringdrive;

FIG. 5, is an amplified partial section of the device illustrating thefluid circuit for applying pressure to the grindingdiscs; a FIG. 6 is afront elevation view of the device;

FIG.; 7 is an amplified detail section depicting a portion of thegrinding disc assembly and the cooperation of said assembly with thedrive ring; and I FIG. 8 is a cross section of the shaft associated withthe grinding discassembly .taken along line 8-8 of Stating it broadly,one embodiment of the invention is directed to a method of cleaning thesurface ofa wire product using a pair of grinding discs with thegrinding faces thereof in substantially faying relationship with eachother and defining a wire grinding zone therebctween. In essence, themethod comprises passing the wire product along its longitudinal axisthrough said wire grinding zone between the grinding faces of said pairof discs, the discs being coaxially mounted on separate shafts with therotary direction of one disc opposite to the other. The pair of discs iscaused as an assembled unit to rotate about the axis of the wire productwith the rotary axes of said discs disposed substantially perpendicularto the wire axis, while continuously passing the wire product throughthe grinding zone and while maintaining said discs in grindingrelationship with said wire.

Another embodiment ofthe invention is directed to a rotary wiregrinding. device comprising, a pair of rotary grinding discs coaxiallymounted with the grinding faces thereof maintained in substantiallyfaying relationship with each other to provide a wire grinding zonetherebetwcen, means for rotating said discs about through said wiregrinding zone, with the axes of said assembled discs substantiallyperpendicular to the wire axis.

DETAILS OF THE INVENTION The method aspect of the invention will clearlyappear from the description of FIG. 1 which depicts in perspective apair of grinding discs 10, 11, respectively, mounted on shafts 10A, 11A,the shafts being coaxially disposed and adapted to rotate the grindingdiscs in opposite directions as shown by the arrows. As will be noted,the grinding discs are disposed in faying relationship to define agrinding zone therebetween, a wire product 12 passing through thegrinding zone as shown. The grinding discs rotate axially in a planeperpendicular to the axes of shafts 10A, 11A, while the two discs as anassembled unit rotate about the longitudinal axis of the wire product asshown by arrows l3. Th"e two discs are maintained in grindingrelationship by the application of predetermined pressure along shafts10A. 11A, (note arrows 14, 15). Thus, as the wire passes continuouslythrough the grinding zone, the rotary movement by the discs in a planeperpendieularlto the axes of the shafts and the rotational movement ofthe two discs as a unit about the wire axis of the wire effect cleaningof the wire surface.

The foregoing grinding mechanism causes the wire product to twistslightly during grinding which advantageously acts to keep the twogrinding discs from loading up with particulate material resulting fromthe grinding action. To this extent, the grinding discs areself-cleaning. The rate of material removed and the final ground productaredetermined by the combined control of disc speed, applicationpressure and the linear velocity of the product through the grindingzone. The desired parameters are easily determined by those skilled inthe art by means of a few test runs. The pressure is applied to thegrinding discs via thrust movements of the shafts carrying said discs,preferably utilizing hydraulic or fluid pressure.

Details of one embodiment of the grinding device will be clearlyapparent by referring to FIGS. 2 to 7.

Referring to the side elevation and plan views of FIGS. 2 and 3,respectively, the device is shown comprising a support frame designatedgenerally by the numeral 20, including legs 21 and cross members 22, theupper portion of the frame providing a rectangular opening to supportthe parts making up the grinding disc assembly and allow space for therotation thereof. The top of the frame supports a vertically upstandingstationary annular ring 23 by means of ring mountings 23A, 233, (FIG.3), the stationary ring also being supported at'floor level by legs 24by means of fastening bolt 25. The upstanding ring 23 is shown moreclearly in the front elevation view of FIG. 6. The stationary ring 23supports concentrically within its inner periphery a rotatable drivering 26 which bears against a set of spaced rollers 27 disposed radiallyaround the side face of stationary ring 23, the outer periphery of thedrive ring being channeled to receive rollers 27.

The rotatable ring 26 (FIG. 6) is similar to an annular gear exceptthat, instead of gear teeth, spaced rollers 28 are provided at theannular side face thereof held by pins in a circular channel on saidface, said rollers being disposed radially along the side channel of thering with spaces between the rollers for receiving the teeth of asprocket 48 (note FIG. 4). Similarly, spaced rollers 29 are provided ina channel on the inner peripheral surface of the driving ring (FIG. 4)with the spaces between the rollers also adapted to receive anothersprocket 66 (FIG. 6) to be described later.

In addition to supporting the stationary ring 23, the frame alsosupports the grinding disc assembly designated generally by numeral 30(FIG. 3) comprising yoke-type spindle housing 31 defining a rectangularopening 32 within which is supported opposed grinding discs 33, 34 ofcup-shaped configuration. The yoke is attached at opposite sides thereofto hollow couplings 35, 36 which are rotatably supported by bearings 37,38, said coupling 35 extending to belt-driven pulley 39 which is drivenvia belt 40 and drive pulley 41 by means of mechanical drive 42 coupledto a motor.

Coupling 36 connects via bearing 37 to rotating union 43 to which iscoupled fluid feed line 44 (FIG. 2). Driven pulley 39 causes the yokeassembly to rotate in a plane perpendicular to the axis of the wireproduct, the wire product W passing through the rotating union, throughrotatable hollow couplings 36 and 35 via inlet and outlet wire guides36A, 35A, respectively, and then out through the driven pulley 39 to adriven wind-up spool not shown.

The grinding disc assembly is supported by yoke 31, the axis of rotationof the discs being perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the yoke.The yoke is disposed to rotate within the confines of stationary ring23, the discs being driven by co-action with rotatable ring 26. Forexample, the opposed discs 33, 34 are coaxially mounted on hollow shafts45 and 45A, respectively (FIG. 3), with the shafts passing throughsprocket housings 46, 47 connected to opposite sides of the yoke 31(FIGS. 3 and 6) and at substantially right angles to the axis ofrotation of the yoke. Hollow shafts 45, 45A have a square cross sectionbut can be round provided there is proper keying of the parts mountedthereon. The details are shown more clearly in the amplified partialsection of FIG. 7 and FIG. 8.

Each disc shaft 45, 45A has a sprocket 48, 49 mounted coaxially thereonwhich meshes with spaced rollers 28 of ring 26. This is shown in greaterdetail in the amplified partial section of FIGS. 4 and 7. Hollow shaft45 is axially coupled to disc 33 by annular mounting 50 and keyingmember 50A, the shaft being supported by shaft housing 51 and bearingassembly 52, said housing comprising a hollow cylindrical memberconnected to yoke 31 as shown. The shaft is also supported by sprockethousing 46, the square shaft 45 being slidably contained within spindlesleeve assembly 52A having roller bearings 52B adjacent thereto, theshaft being separated from the inner wall of shaft housing 51 by saidbearing assembly 52 with ball bearings between said sleeve assembly 52Aand the housing wall, the bearings being held in position by shoulderson the inner wall of housing 51. The shaft housing 51 is coupled viabolts 53 to drive sprocket housing 46 through which shaft 45concentrically extends, the end of the shaft having sprocket 48 mountedthereon, a

bearing mounting or sleeve 54 being provided to support bearing 55 whichis mounted within the inner wall of housing 46 against a shoulderthereof and against sleeve 54, the inner wall being stepped toaccommodate the sprocket. The sprocket has a square central opening forreceiving square shaft 45. As will be noted from FIGS. 4 and 7, thesprocket 48 meshes with the spaces between rollers 28 of drive ring 26.Ball bearings 55A are disposed between sleeve 54 and the sprocket toprovide longitudinal support movement of the shaft via fluid cylinder60.

Dust bellows 56 are provided between discs 33, 34 and spindle sleeve 52A(note also FIGS. 3 and 7). The yoke opening containing discs 33, 34 isalso surrounded entirely by a removable dust cover 57 to keep dusting ofthe device to a minimum.

As will be noted from FIG. 7, grinding discs 33, 34 are cup-shaped, thatis to say, each disc has an open cup-like chamber 33A, 34A locatedcentrally thereof with opposed flat annular faces 33B, 34B locatedradially outwardly from said cup-like chamber, the flat annular facesbeing the grinding faces forming the grinding zone.

Referring again to FIG. 7, a disc rod or arbor 58 is shown axially screwfitted to disc via flange 59 located centrally within the disc, thearbor running through hollow shaft 45 and connected to a piston withinfluid cylinder 60 screw-threaded into cap 61 closing the end of drivesprocket housing 46. The piston is designed to have a total thrust ofabout one-half inch but is set to provide a travel of about one-eighthinch. Disc arbor or rod 58, like shaft 45, is rigidly coupled to disc 33and is adapted via fluid cylinder 60 to apply thrust to disc 33 viafluid pressure from cylinder 60, the fluid, e.g. hydraulic fluid, beingfed to the cylinder via inlet 62 under controlled pressure, dependingupon the grinding pressure to be applied to the wire product. Thus, aspressure is applied to the piston, square shaft 45 is caused to moveslightly to apply grinding pressure to the disc, said slight movementbeing aided by the ball bearing 52B and 55A and the fact that the squareshaft is mounted to slide through the said sleeve assembly surroundingthe shaft.

The description for the assembly of disc 33 in FIG. 7 applies equally tothe assembly of disc 34.

The fluid feed for applying pressure to disc arbor or rod 58 is shown inFIGS. 2 and 3, the fluid inlet 44 being before rotating union 43, thefluid passing through a chamber in the union and then conducted viatubes 63, 63A to cylinders 60, 60A (FIG. 3). The fluid feed is shown inmore detail in the amplified partial section of FIG. 5, the fluidentering at fluid inlet 44A and passing through chamber 64 into tubes63, 63A which communicate with the fluid feed chamber as shown followingbearing mount 37. The wire product W passes axially through rotatableunion 43, through the bearing mount and via wire guide 36A betweenopposed discs 33, 34, the wire guide being supported between theextremities of hollow couplings 35 and 36.

In addition to the sprockets for rotating the discs via their shaftscoupled to the sprockets, a sprocket drive is also provided for rotatingdrive ring 26. The sprocket 66 is shown clearly in FIG. 6, the sprocketbeing driven by mechanical drive 67 via sprocket shaft 67A also shown inFIG. 2. In FIG. 6, it will be noted that belt 40 is behind sprocket 66for rotating the yoke assembly. Thus, in the preferred embodiment, asbelt-driven pulley 39 rotates the yoke assembly with its assembledgrinding discs about wire product W, sprocket 66 rotates drive ring 26with which sprocket 48 is meshed such that the rotation of sprocket 48causes rotation of the grinding disc attached to the sprocket shaft.Since the drive sprockets of the discs are diametrically disposed onopposite portions of ring 26, the discs will rotate opposite each other.

As is apparent from the foregoing description, at rotary wire grindingdevice is provided comprising a pair of opposed wire grinding discs 33,34 the device being comprised of a frame, an upstanding stationary ring23, supported by said frame and a rotatable drive ring 26 located withinand rotatably supported by' rolls 27 on said stationary ring. Therotatable drive. ring has disposed radially along its side facesprocketcoaeting means 28 for coacting with sprockets 48, '49 forrotating said grinding discs and on its inner periphery a secondsprocket-coacting means 29 for coacting with a ring driving sprocket 66shown in FIG. 6. The device includes a rotatable yoke assembly 31supported by bearings 37, 38 on said frame, the yoke assembly extendinginto the opening of the stationary ring and being adapted to rotatewithin said opening. The yoke assembly also supports a grinding assembly30 comprising said opposed grinding discs 33, 34, each of the discsbeing coupled to a hollow shaft, such as shaft 45 (FIG. 7). havingsprockets 48, 49 at the ends of each of the shafts which mesh with thesprocket-receiving means on the annular side face of the rotatable drivering.

The discs are disposed relative to the other so as to define a wiregrinding zone therebetween, each of the disc shafts being coaxial withthe other. The grinding assembly is supported by the yoke so as to bedisposed diametrically across said stationary ring with the grindingassembly srockcts enmeshed with sprocketcoacting means 28 of drive ring26. Wire guiding means 36A, 35A are provided for guiding the wire alongits longitudinal axis through the wire grinding zone defined by theopposed discs which are held in faying relationship with each other.

Means are provided for rotating said yoke assembly comprising pulleys39, 41 and belt 40, a motor-driven mechanical drive unit 42 beingemployed, the axis of rotation of the yoke assembly being perpendicularto the axis of rotation ofthc discs. The rotatable drive ring 26 isdriven by sprocket 66, such that when the yoke assembly and the grindingassembly are caused to rotate together as a unit within the opening ofthe stationary ring. while said drive ring is driven by sprocket 66, thegrinding discs rotate opposite to each other, while the discs as anassembled unit rotate about the wire product perpendicular to the axesof the discs.

In operation, mechanical drive 42, through pulleys 39 and 41 and belt 40causes yoke spindle housing assembly 31 to rotate about bearings 37, 38mounted on support frame 20. This causes the surface of grinding discs33, 34 to rotate about the axis of the wire product W perpendicular tothe longitudinal axis of said wire product. 7

Drive sprockets 48 and 49 (FIGS. 3 and 7) mesh with drive ring 26, thusimparting a circular motion to grinding discs through drive shafts 45and 45A, while the grinding discs are rotating about wire product W. Thein-fecd of the grinding discs into direction of product W isaccomplished by fluid source (not shown) through feed line 44 and rotaryunion 43 to fluid conveying system 63, 63A, and then into fluid cylinder60. When the grinding discs make contact with the wire product, therotating motion and circular motion of grinding discs combined with thepressures supplied by fluid cylinder 60 through the drive shafts resultin the removal of a controlled amount of material from the surface ofthe product as it is guided between the grinding discs by entrance guide36A and corresponding exit guide A. As will be clearly apparent to thoseskilled in the art, rate of material removal will be a function ofgrinding disc speed, pressure and productvelocity as it is guidedthrough the grinder.

Further, the motion of the grinding discs along with the pressurecombine to impart a slight twisting motion to the wire product. Thismotion of the product on'the grinding discs acts to keep the discs fromloading. This unique feature has led to the use of 'very hard wheels andfine grit such as grade 57A-220-R8. This holds true, independent of thewire product being processed, whether ferrous or non-ferrous. In theforegoing, grade 57A stands for aluminum oxide abrasive, 220 means avery fine grit size and R for rubber bond.' Number 8 is merely anidentifying number. The grinder 'may operate as a dry grinder or may beadapted to operate as a wet grinder. A typical grinding disc is 9 /2inches in diame- 1161'.

While the preferred aspects of the invention are directed to thegrinding of a wire surface with the view of producing a clean wire ofcircular cross section, it will be apparent that the apparatus of theinvention can also be utilized to grind opposing flat faces on thewireproduct in the production of a wire of rectangular cross section. Thiscan be achieved by not allowing the discs as an assembled unit to rotateabout the axis of the wire as previously described. This is accomplishedby removing drive belt 40 from drive pulley 41 and driven pulley 39.

Thus, as the wire is passed through the grinding zone, flats are groundon opposite sides of the wire. In producing the rectangular crosssection, such as a square, the wire is recycled through the grindingzone to grind additional flats on the sides of the wire opposite to thefirst pair of flats.

Although the present invention has been described in conjunction withpreferred embodiments, it is to be understood that modifications andvariations may be resorted to without departing from the spirit andscope of the invention as those skilled in the art will readilyunderstand. Such modifications and variations are considered to bewithin the purview and scope of the invention and the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A method of cleaning the surface of a wire product using a pair ofgrinding discs with the grinding faces thereof in parallel and fayingrelationship with each other and defining a wire grinding zonetherebetween which comprises,

passing said wire product along its longitudinal axis substantiallycentrally through said wire grinding zone between and in contact withthe grinding faces of said pair of discs across the diameter thereofwhile said discs are rotating,

said discs being coaxially mounted on separate shafts, the rotarydirection of one disc opposite to the other,

and then causing said pair of discs as an assembled unit to rotate aboutthe axis of the wire product in a plane perpendicular to said wires axiswhile in contact with said wire while continuously passing the wireproduct through the grinding zone and while maintaining said discs ingrinding relationship with said wire,

whereby a twisting action is imparted to said wire during grindingbetween said discs such that said discs are inhibited from loading upwith particulate material resulting from said grinding action.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said discs are maintained in grindingrelationship with said wire product by applying a predetermined axialpressure to said discs against said wire product.

3. A rotary wire grinding device comprising,

a pair of rotary grinding discs coaxially mounted on separate shaftswith the grinding faces thereof maintained in parallel and fayingrelationship with each other to provide a wire grinding zonetherebetween,

means for guiding a wire along its longitudinal axis through said wiregrinding zone between and in contact with said grinding faces across thediameter thereof,

means for causing said pair of rotary discs to rotate as an assembledunit about the longitudinal axis of said wire in a plane perpendicularto the wire axis as said wire passes through said wire grinding zonewhile in contact with said discs, with the rotary axes of said discsperpendicular to the wire axis,

means operating in response to the rotation of said rotary disc assemblyfor simultaneously rotating both of said discs together about theirindividual axis with the axial rotation of one disc opposite to theother,

and means for applying a predetermined grinding pressure to saidgrinding discs.

4. A rotary wire grinding device comprising a pair of opposed wiregrinding discs, said device including,

a frame,

a stationary annular ring supported by said frame,

a rotatable drive ring located concentrically within the inner peripheryof the stationary ring and rotatably supported by said stationary ring,said rotatable drive ring having disposed radially along its annularside face sprocket-receiving means for coacting with sprockets forrotating each of said grinding discs, means supporting said opposedgrinding discs as an assembled unit, each of said grinding discs beingattached to a shaft each having a sprocket located at an end opposite tothe disc, said discs being disposed relative to each other to provide awire grinding zone therebetwcen, each of said disc shafts being coaxialwith the other,

said assembled grinding discs being disposed diametrically across saidstationary ring with the sprockets thereof in cooperable contact withsaid sprocket-receiving means located along the an nular side face ofsaid rotatable drive ring,

means for guiding a wire product along its longitudinal axis through thewire grinding zone defined by said opposed discs,

drive means for rotating the assembled grinding discs in a planeperpendicular to the axis of the wire product,

drive means for rotating said drive ring,

and means for applying grinding pressure to said grinding discs, agrinding assembly comprising said opposed pair of grinding discssupported by said yoke assembly, each of said grinding discs beingattached to a shaft each having a sprocket located at an end opposite tothe disc, said opposed discs being disposed relative to the each otherto provide a wire grinding zone therebetween, each of the shafts beingcoaxial with the other,

said grinding assembly being supported by said yoke assembly so as to bedisposed diametrically across said stationary ring with the sprocket oneach disc shaft enmeshed with the sprocketreceiving means located alongthe annular side face of said rotatable drive ring,

drive means for guiding a wire product along its longitudinal axisthrough the wire grinding zone defined by said opposed discs,

drive means for rotating said yoke assembly via its bearing supportstogether with said grinding disc assembly, the rotation of said yokebeing in a plane perpendicular to the axis of the wire product, suchthat when the assembled discs are caused to rotate within saidstationary ring in a plane perpendicular to the wire axis, and saiddrive ring is driven by said ring sprocket, the grinding discs arecaused to rotate opposite to each other about their axes to effectgrinding of said wire product.

5. The rotary grinding device of claim 4, wherein the means forsupporting said opposed grinding discs is a rotatable yoke assemblywhich extends into the opening of said stationary ring, the drive meansfor rotating the assembled grinding discs being coupled to saidrotatable yoke.

6. The rotary grinding device of claim 4, wherein said drive ring hasdisposed radially around its inner periph' ery sprocket-receiving meansand wherein the means for driving said ring is a mechanically drivensprocket in cooperable contact with said sprocket-receiving means.

7. The rotary grinding device of claim 4, wherein the shaft of each discis slidably supported to provide thrust movement towards the wireproduct and wherein each said shaft is coupled via means to a hydraulicpiston and cylinder system for applying fluid pressure to said shaft andhence grinding pressure to said grinding discs.

8. A rotary wire grinding device comprising a pair of opposed wiregrinding discs, said device including,

a frame,

an upstanding stationary annular ring supported by said frame,

a rotatable drive ring located concentrically within the inner peripheryof the stationary ring and rotatably supported by said stationary ring,said rotatable drive ring having disposed radially along its side facesprocket-receiving means for coacting with sprockets for rotating saidgrinding discs and also on its inner periphery sprocketreceiving meansfor coacting with a ring-driving sprocket,

a rotatable yoke assembly supported by bearings on said frame, said yokeassembly extending into the opening of said stationary ring,

drive means including a sprocket for driving said ring, said sprocketbeing enmeshed with said 9. The rotary grinding device of claim 8,wherein the shaft of each disc is slidably supported to provide thrustmovement towards the wire product to apply grinding pressure thereto.

10. The rotary grinding device of claim 9, wherein each disc shaft iscoupled via means to a hydraulic piston and cylinder system for applyingfluid pressure to each of said shafts and hence grinding pressure tosaid grinding device.

1. A method of cleaning the surface of a wire product using a pair ofgrinding discs with the grinding faces thereof in parallel and fayingrelationship with each other and defining a wire grinding zonetherebetween which comprises, passing said wire product along itslongitudinal axis substantially centrally through said wire grindingzone between and in contact with the grinding faces of said pair ofdiscs across the diameter thereof while said discs are rotating, saiddiscs being coaxially mounted on separate shafts, the rotary directionof one disc opposite to the other, and then causing said pair of discsas an assembled unit to rotate about the axis of the wire product in aplane perpendicular to said wires axis while in contact with said wirewhile continuously passing the wire product through the grinding zoneand while maintaining said discs in grinding relationship with saidwire, whereby a twisting action is imparted to said wire during grindingbetween said discs such that said discs are inhibited from loading upwith particulate material resulting from said grinding action.
 2. Themethod of claim 1, wherein said discs are maintained in grindingrelationship with said wire product by applying a predetermined axialpressure to said discs against said wire product.
 3. A rotary wiregrinding device comprising, a pair of rotary grinding discs coaxiallymounted on separate shafts with the grinding faces thereof maintained inparallel and faying relationship with each other to provide a wiregrinding zone therebetween, means for guiding a wire along itslongitudinal axis through said wire grinding zone between and in contactwith said grinding faces across the diameter thereof, means for causingsaid pair of rotary discs to rotate as an assembled unit about thelongitudinal axis of said wire in a plane perpendicular to the wire axisas said wire passes through said wire grinding zone while in contactwith said discs, with the rotary axes of said discs perpendicular to thewire axis, means operating in response to the rotation of said rotarydisc assembly for simultaneously rotating both of said discs togetherabout their individual axis with the axial rotation of one disc oppositeto the other, and means for applying a predetermined grinding pressureto said grinding discs.
 4. A rotary wire grinding device comprising apair of opposed wire grinding discs, said device including, a frame, astationary annular ring supported by said frame, a rotatable drive ringlocated concentrically within the inner periphery of the stationary ringand rotatably supported by said stationary ring, said rotatable drivering having disposed radially along its annular side facesprocket-receiving means for coacting with sprockets for rotating eachof said grinding discs, means supporting said opposed grinding discs asan assembled unit, each of said grinding discs being attached to a shafteach having a sprocket located at an end opposite to the disc, saiddiscs being disposed relative to each othEr to provide a wire grindingzone therebetween, each of said disc shafts being coaxial with theother, said assembled grinding discs being disposed diametrically acrosssaid stationary ring with the sprockets thereof in cooperable contactwith said sprocket-receiving means located along the annular side faceof said rotatable drive ring, means for guiding a wire product along itslongitudinal axis through the wire grinding zone defined by said opposeddiscs, drive means for rotating the assembled grinding discs in a planeperpendicular to the axis of the wire product, drive means for rotatingsaid drive ring, and means for applying grinding pressure to saidgrinding discs, a grinding assembly comprising said opposed pair ofgrinding discs supported by said yoke assembly, each of said grindingdiscs being attached to a shaft each having a sprocket located at an endopposite to the disc, said opposed discs being disposed relative to theeach other to provide a wire grinding zone therebetween, each of theshafts being coaxial with the other, said grinding assembly beingsupported by said yoke assembly so as to be disposed diametricallyacross said stationary ring with the sprocket on each disc shaftenmeshed with the sprocket-receiving means located along the annularside face of said rotatable drive ring, drive means for guiding a wireproduct along its longitudinal axis through the wire grinding zonedefined by said opposed discs, drive means for rotating said yokeassembly via its bearing supports together with said grinding discassembly, the rotation of said yoke being in a plane perpendicular tothe axis of the wire product, such that when the assembled discs arecaused to rotate within said stationary ring in a plane perpendicular tothe wire axis, and said drive ring is driven by said ring sprocket, thegrinding discs are caused to rotate opposite to each other about theiraxes to effect grinding of said wire product.
 5. The rotary grindingdevice of claim 4, wherein the means for supporting said opposedgrinding discs is a rotatable yoke assembly which extends into theopening of said stationary ring, the drive means for rotating theassembled grinding discs being coupled to said rotatable yoke.
 6. Therotary grinding device of claim 4, wherein said drive ring has disposedradially around its inner periphery sprocket-receiving means and whereinthe means for driving said ring is a mechanically driven sprocket incooperable contact with said sprocket-receiving means.
 7. The rotarygrinding device of claim 4, wherein the shaft of each disc is slidablysupported to provide thrust movement towards the wire product andwherein each said shaft is coupled via means to a hydraulic piston andcylinder system for applying fluid pressure to said shaft and hencegrinding pressure to said grinding discs.
 8. A rotary wire grindingdevice comprising a pair of opposed wire grinding discs, said deviceincluding, a frame, an upstanding stationary annular ring supported bysaid frame, a rotatable drive ring located concentrically within theinner periphery of the stationary ring and rotatably supported by saidstationary ring, said rotatable drive ring having disposed radiallyalong its side face sprocket-receiving means for coacting with sprocketsfor rotating said grinding discs and also on its inner peripherysprocket-receiving means for coacting with a ring-driving sprocket, arotatable yoke assembly supported by bearings on said frame, said yokeassembly extending into the opening of said stationary ring, drive meansincluding a sprocket for driving said ring, said sprocket being enmeshedwith said sprocket-receiving means disposed radially along the innerperiphery of said rotatable drive ring, and means for applying grindingpressure to said grinding discs, such that when the yoke assemblytogether with said grinding assembly is caused to rotate within saidstatiOnary ring in a plane perpendicular to the wire axis and said drivering is driven by said ring sprocket, the grinding discs are caused torotate opposite to each other about their axes to effect grinding ofsaid wire product.
 9. The rotary grinding device of claim 8, wherein theshaft of each disc is slidably supported to provide thrust movementtowards the wire product to apply grinding pressure thereto.
 10. Therotary grinding device of claim 9, wherein each disc shaft is coupledvia means to a hydraulic piston and cylinder system for applying fluidpressure to each of said shafts and hence grinding pressure to saidgrinding device.